After finishing Ironman Arizona I decided to start the off-season with some Thanksgiving travel. Traveling to see family and friends is a great way to spend time, but all those long hours in planes, cars, and awkward chairs can really slow down the Ironman recovery process. Thankfully we have compression socks to help and so I did this compression sock review of favorite pair.

For the record, compression socks have existed for medical use well before they became a triathlete's fashion statement. Today compression socks are all the rage, but long before they existed in Triathlon you could find me donning the elastic socks as I stood for hours on end in the operating room or for travel.
Over the years I have tried many different pairs of compression socks and have developed a taste for what is the perfect sock.

Objectively, the easiest way to determine my favorite is by counting the number of times I pull out each pair of socks and wear them. Although I haven't kept an official record, for the past six months I keep pulling out the same pair of compression socks. The sock: well the winner is my 2XU Compression Recovery socks. In full disclosure I do have a sponsorship with 2XU, however, I would never let a sponsor cloud my objectivity and I do find it remarkable that despite have so many pairs that I pull out the same pair.

The reason I continue to grab the 2XU Compression Recovery socks is as follows:

Durability - after countless washes and uses the 2XU Recovery socks honestly feel like the day I got them. I have tried numerous medical-grade and triathlete marketed stocks and I have had socks lose their compression or rip in as few as 3 washes. None of the socks I have ever test have ever come close to the durability of my 2XU socks.

Compression - I buy socks for compression. Truth-be-told there is a fine balance between too little and too much compression, but I have tried numerous triathlete marketed socks that are nothing more than glorified tube socks. If you are buying compression socks and paying top dollar then they should be true compression socks. These 2XU socks are solid and offer just the right amount of compression for my tired achy legs.

Fabric: The fabric on these 2XU socks does a great job of keeping feet dry and fresh. This is a benefit that I can't say is true of the socks that are made up of more cotton-like fabrics.

Color: Although I don't wear compression for aesthetics, I do prefer the dark color of the 2XU recovery socks. Often times I find myself sitting on the grass after a triathlon and white socks or light colored socks are simply more susceptible to staining.

Cons: My only suggestion for improvement is to add some light-colored guidelines in the toe box to help straighten out the sock when you put it on. 2XU has been active in updating this sock over the years and I hope this feedback makes it in for future releases.

If you are looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for someone than you can't beat these socks. They can be purchased from Trisports.com and you can always save 20% with my Coupon Code. Each code is unique for you so please contact me thru the above "Contact" tab and I will email you back the 20% off code. Codes can be used at anytime - no waiting for a special sale. They expire 12/31/14. Please remember to fill in your email address so I can reply back to you. If you don't provide an email there is no way for me to contact you. You can also tweet at me or message me on Facebook if you prefer.

Ironvan - I have previously worn compression socks in Ironman but if racing with them then you have to go with the 2XU Race Compression socks. The black ones will have too much compression for racing. The whites ones are nice but lately I have not had the opportunity to put them on as I put them on in T1 and it has been too important to stay apart of the group and I have not had the luxury.